Ecosocialism

Ecosocialism, sociologist ecology, or green socialism is a theory synthesizing elements of the antiglobalization movement, anarchy, ecology, green politics, socialism, and Marxism. Much of ecosocialism is theoretical work exploring the lines between these other ideologies, how they fit together, and critique of each element. Ecosocialists commonly believe that the capitalist system is unsustainable, filled with contradictions, and the cause of social alienation, vast disparities between the rich and poor, imperialism, destruction of the environment, global hegemonic systems, and repressive states. Ecosocialists support the systematic disassembling of the state and capitalism via nonviolent means and creating a new system that focuses on shared commons, collective ownership, and freely associated producers.

Ecosocialism is a continually developing theory and ideology that is critical of each of the various parts of which the theory consists. Ecosocialists are sometimes described as “Red Greens” because the group is primarily motivated by Marxism, anticapitalist views, and green politics. Red Greens may also be called Watermelons, suggesting they are red on the inside and green on the outside, and the term may be a critique or a compliment, depending on whether or not one thinks one or the other quality should be on the prioritized outside. Some ecosocialists give Marx credit for being one of the first theorists with a comprehensive ecological worldview, and they do not think it's inconsistent to join Marxism with green politics. Other theorists think green politics and ecosocialism are simply a natural extension of Marxism. Modern environmental realities such as population growth, limits to growth and resources, diminished nonrenewable resources, and the limits of technology to deal with climate change all easily lend themselves to discussion of materials, labor, and Marxist analysis.

Some theorists in the green movement take an ecocentric or biocentric approach to environmental issues and argue for the intrinsic worth of all organisms equally. Such theorists do not want to privilege humans and human social justice and critique such as more of the same anthropocentrism that led to current environmental problems. Ecosocialists warn against misanthropy and have a vision that is fundamentally anthropocentric; they [Page 139]accent both social justice and environmental issues. Ecosocialists argue that the most pressing environmental problem is social justice and that the lack of justice leads to other problems like environmental destruction, global warming, and overuse of nonrenewable resources. Ecosocialists argue that the theoretical antecedent of green politics and the environmental movement is Marxist thought.

The Marxist view enables greens to have powerful critique over capitalistic structures. It offers an approach based on material and history and suggests processes for social change. Many ecosocialists think that some form of socialism (human rights) must precede biological egalitarianism (nature's rights). Many greens have said that Marxist theory is too old, rigid, dated, and deterministic to be of use in the current environmental crisis. Ecosocialism is an attempt to make more applicable the theory by applying it to modern society and the existent environmental phenomenon.